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Tom Meechan is back doing what he does best – putting the ball in the back of the net for St Neots Town.
St Neots Town goalscorer Dion Sembie-Ferris battles with a Slough defender. Picture: CLAIRE HOWESThe prolific striker, who hit 26 goals for the club during the 2015/16 season to earn a switch from the Southern League to the Football League, announced his return in trademark style yesterday.
Meechan, snapped up on loan from Hungerford last week, struck twice as Saints beat Slough Town 3-1 at the Premier Plus Stadium to record a second Premier Division success of the new campaign – and condemn their visitors to just a second defeat.
Saints fell behind in the fifth minute when Slough man Chris Flood tucked away the rebound after seeing his spot-kick saved by Mike Emery.
That was an ominous start against a team who had won their previous six league matches, but Saints were only in arrears for a matter of seconds as Meechan finished on the half-volley after a Jonny Herd long throw dropped into his path.
Taylor Parr gets his head on the ball as St Neots Town beat Slough. Picture: CLAIRE HOWESOnly the crossbar denied Meechan a second goal with a rasping, rising shot midway through the second period, before a terrific save from Slough goalkeeper Jack Turner thwarted him with a quarter of an hour to go.
But Meechan refused to be denied and completed the turnaround moments later when he collected a short pass from Dion Sembie-Ferris and steered a terrific 25-yard strike into the top corner.
Another super stop from Turner denied Meechan a hat-trick, but Sembie-Ferris made sure of victory deep into stoppage time.
Boss Matt Clements said: “That was a complete team performance with every player and staff member playing a huge part.
“It was the product of hours of work from assistant manager Matty Haniver and coach David Bridges on the training field, combined with the boys believing in how good they can be.
“It’s great to have Tom back at the club. He was ruthless and gave us that edge we’ve been lacking.
“His second goal was pure class and I still don’t know how he managed to pull that off!
“But it wasn’t a day where any one player stood out as we performed superbly against a Slough team, who were the top-scorers in the division at the start of the day.”
“I’m proud of them all and hopefully it’s a display and result we can follow up.”
Saints now sit 17th in the Premier Division standings ahead of an all-Cambridgeshire clash against Royston on Tuesday at the Premier Plus Stadium.
